Polyolefin compositions



United States Patent 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Polyolefins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and ethylene copolymers are blended with a polar copolymer of ethylene. The polyolefins must comprise at least 50% by weight of the blend. Ethylene vinyl acetate is a preferred polar copolymer.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 105,857, filed Apr. 27, 1961, now Patent No. 3,248,359 which in turn is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 1,847, filed Jan. 6, 1960, and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to polyolefin compositions and, more particularly, to modified polyolefin compositions having improved processabiilty and improved stresscrack resistance.

The present invention is directed to the high molecular weight resins obtained by the polymerization of terminally unsaturated monoolefins. Representative examples of such polyolefins are low and high density polyethylene, polypropylene and copolymers of ethylene with such monomers as propylene, butene, octene, decene and vinyl cyclohexene. These polyolefins are generally obtained either through polymerization with a free radical catalyst, or through polymerization with an organometallic catalyst, often referred to as a coordination catalyst. The molecular weights of high molecular weight polyolefins range from about 2000 to about 40,000 and higher. These polyolefins, furthermore, are characterized by inherent flexibility, corrosion resistance, weatherability, and outstanding dielectric properties; and, because of these properties, the polyolefins are particularly valuable in numerous commercial applications. In many applications the polyolefins are employed in stressed conditions. This is particularly true in the use of polyolefins for wire and cable coating and jacketing. In this stressed condition, polyolefins fail significantly more readily than in the unstressed conditions. This is particularly true when the stressed polyolefin is contacted with surface-active agents which include soaps, detergents, alcohols, polyglycol ethers, silicones and various other aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. In general, this phenomenon is referred to as environmental stress-cracking and has been a real problem in the commercial development of polyolefins.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of the present invention to provide improved polyolefin compositions. It is another object of the present invention to provide polyolefin compositions which are improved in their environmental stress-crack resistance. Another object of the present invention is to improve the processability of polyolefins. Other objects will become apparent hereinafter.

The objects of the present invention are accomplished by a homogeneously blended polyolefin composition comprising a polyolefin containing from 1 to 50% by weight of said polyolefin, and preferably from 1 to 15% by weight of said polyolefin, of an ethylene copolymer wherein the comonomer is a compound capable of copolymerizing with the ethylene and forms a copolymer having ice polar groups directly attached to the polymer chain, the ratio of the ethylene to said comonomer in the copolymer varying from 1:1 to 30:1, the molecular weight of the copolymer being sufficiently high to give the comonomer a melting point above 70 C.

Comonomers which result in copolymers having polar groups attached to the carbon chain of the molecule are such compounds as carbon monoxide, vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol, vinyl ethers, unsaturated acids and similar compounds. A preferred class of comonomers are those which contain oxygen in the polar group and which contain not more than two carbon atoms in the polar group attached to the polymer chain. The preparation of these copolymers, having the desired ratio of comonomers and the desired molecular weight, is well known in the art, and, therefore, not described in great detail here. In general, these copolymers are formed by the copolymerization of ethylene and a suitable polar group containing comonomer at elevated temperatures using a free radical catalyst, such as a peroxide, in the presence or absence of an aqueous phase. Certain copolymers employed in the process of the present invention require an additional processing step after polymerization, such as the preparation of copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol, which are only obtained on hydrolysis of ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers.

The polyolefins stabilized by the process of the present invention are obtained through the polymerization of an olefin having the general formula CH =CHR, where R may be a hydrogen or a hydrocarbon radical. The hydrocarbon radical may be aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic in nature. They are high molecular weight polymers suitable as plastics which generally have molecular weights, as determined by melt index, ranging from 0.01 to 35. Employing the recently developed coordination catalyst, there appears to be little or no limitation on the size of the hydrocarbon radical in the monomer in 0btaining high molecular weight polymer. However, from a commercial standpoint, the polyolefins are generally limited to monomers containing less than 20 carbon atoms. The polyolefin class includes copolymers of these olefins with one or more other monomers. These copolymers may be made in any range of comonomer concentration. Although the improvement discovered in accordance with the present invention is applicable to all polyolefins, it is particularly significant with such polymers as polyethylenes, polypropylene, and copolymers of ethylene with terminally unsaturated olefins containing more than 50% of ethylene.

The polyolefin compositions employed in the present invention may also include, in addition to the above modifiers, other additives which are employed to plasticize, lubricate, prevent oxidation or lend color to the polyolefin. Such additives are known and may be incorporated without appreciably affecting the advantageous results obtained by the present invention.

The resistance to environmental stress cracking is measured by a technique described in the book Polyethylene by Raff and Allison, published by Interscience Publishers, on pp. 389 to 393. Principally, the method comprises cutting a slit into ten specimens and bending these specimens into a U-shape with the slit on the outside, and, while so stressed, placing the specimens into a surface-active agent. The surface-active agent employed generally is Igepal CA, an alkyl aryl polyethylene glycol ether manufactured by General Dyestuff Corporation. The measurement which determines the resistance to stress-cracking is the time required for 50% of the stressed samples to fail. In many instances it was found that Igepal CA did not produce cracking of the stressed samples rapidly enough to allow significant measure- 3 4 ments. Hence, the measurement of environmental stress- The novel compositions illustrated in these tables were crack resistance was also carried out in Hostapal using generally prepared by dry tumbling finely divided polyth Same procedure. H P Similarly, is a detergent olefin and finely divided copolymer additive and extrud- Compfisihg ah Ethylene glycol Pheho1 Condensation P ing the resultant mixture through a two inch Egan exuct, and is also commercially availaible. A more severe 5 truder at a temperature of 170 to 220 c using i h a tBSt Was 11150 formulated Y P h the messed Samples typical nylon extrusion screw or a mixing torpedo in the to a temperature 700 m an an oven 9 7 days and extruder. In each instance where the tables show an unthereafter submerging the stressed sample in a detergent modified polyolefin for comparative purposes thg data Such as Igepal AC or Hostapal' Improvement in process listed was obtained from a polyolcfin which had been ability is measured by various methods. One method com- 10 prises the measurement of the stress exponent n and the measurement of the processability index C. An increase in either It or C measures an improvement in flow of the polyolefin. The stress exponent n is defined as worked in the same way as the modified polyolefins.

Compositions prepared in this manner were tested in respect to their environmental stress crack-resistance using the more severe test method described above, involving heat aging of the samples. Table I describes the results =1 3 2 obtained from various polyolefins employing as an addiilV6 an ethylene carbon monoxide copolymer in various where 7 is the shear rate at 2160 g. loading of a melt concentrations. The carbon monoxide copolymer emindexer, 7 is the shear rate at 6480 g. loading of the ployed had a melt index of approximately 500 to 1000 melt indexer, a is the shear stress at 2160 g. loading of dgjmin. and a melting point of approximately 97 C. the melt indexer, and 2 is the Shear Stress at 6480 load- As can be seen from the results, a significant improvement ing of the melt ihdexer- The processability index is in environmental stress crack resistance results when the fined as ethylene/carbon monoxide copolymer is employed as an C X additive in either polyethylene or copolymers of ethylene 0s with monolefins.

TABLE I 4 Environmental Stress Crack Percent E/OO Melt Index in dgJmin. Density in g./ee. Resistance after 7 days aging,

Polymer E/CO Ratio (ASTM-D-l238-52-T) (AsTM-D-792) in hours Copolymer In Igepal CA In Hostapal Polyethylene 0. 0.917 30 1. 75

Do 0.15 Polyethylene and Polyethylene Wa 0. 23 Ethylene/Butene Copolymer 97:3 1. 87

where n is the stress exponent and MI the melt index. The improvement in processability is demonstrated by The measurement of melt index and the indexer used the results listed in Table II. Compositions were prepared herein are described in detail in ASTM-D-l238-52 T. from two branched polyethylenes, A and B, having a den- The improvement in processability is also manifested by sity of 0.92 g./cc. with varying concentrations of the a lowering of head pressure and power requirements in ethylene/carbon monoxide copolymer, and with copolymelt extruders, such as are used in applying insulation mers varying in their eomonomer ratio. The copolymers to wire and cable. Another method of measuring the employed had substantially the characteristics of those improvement in processability is to measure the maximum d in Obtaining the ts in Tab e I. The stress 6X- extrusion speed permissible for acceptable wire coatings p n nt n and the processability index C were measured or to measure th surface gh e of th xt d d ir and calculated as described herelnabove. These polymers made at a particular speed. were then employed to coat number 22 gauge wire at 600 Various methods may be employed to obtain the comfh/ employlng a 11/2 h extruder using 3 positions of the present invention. Thus, the novel polyconventiona P QWP (116- e p ym r el h olefins of the present invention may be prepared by @mefglhg from the die 9 at a mp r e f 220 to milling a physical mixture of the two components on a 225 Both haffel and dleowefe malhtalhed at E1 p j' rubber mill at temperatures above the melting point of alum of approxlmately 245 The Pressure at the end of the barrel and the power necessary to rotate the the polyolefin, by banburying a mixture of the two comscrew of the barrel were measured. The results listed indiponents, by dissolving both in a common solvent and then precipitating and separating the mixture, and by melt cate the substantial improvement in processability resultextruding a dry blended mixture of the polyolefin and ing from the addition of the ethylene/carbon monoxide the additive. The methods used in incorporating additives copolymer.

TABLE II Polymer Percent 15/00 13/00 Ratio Melt Index Stress Exponent Processabilit Head Pressure Power in Copolymer in rig/min. 1L Index "0 in p.s.i.g. watts Polyethylene A 0 0.20 1 4 0.23 2.5 4 0.23 5 4 0.26 7.5 4 0. 2a 10 4 0.21 Polyethylene B 0 0. 23 5 3.5 0.17 5 3.8 0.20 5 6.1 0.20 5 7.8 0.21

into polyolefins have been described in the art, and, since Improvement of processability resulting from the addithey are not critical, are here not disclosed in any subtion of ethylene/carbon monoxide copolymers is further stantial detail. illustrated in Table III where surface roughness of coated The present invention is further illustrated by the exwire obtained from polyolefins with and without the deperimental data described and listed in the tables below. scribed ethylene/carbon monoxide copolymer is compared. The coated wire was obtained by using the same extrusion conditions and machinery as described for the results on coated wire in Table II. The surface quality measurements were made by using a Brush Surfindicater. Again, a substantial improvement in the quality of the wire coating is apparent.

The improvement in stress crack resistance and processability obtained by the addition of an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer to low density polyethylene is demonstrated by Table IV showing percentage of ethylene/ vinyl acetate copolymer added, the melt index of the resulting polymer blend, the head pressure observed in the extrusion coating of wire, and the stress crack resistance as measured on samples of the blend which had been exposed to 70 C. temperature in air for seven days in Hostapal. The ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer employed in the formation of the blend giving rise to the data presented in Table IV was a copolymer having a melt index of about 1.8 dg./min., a melting point of about 110 C. and contained of vinyl acetate. The test procedures employed were the same as employed in the determination of the data listed in the preceding tables.

Substitution of the ethylene carbon monoxide and ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer by an ethylene/vinyl methyl ether copolymer containing of vinyl methyl ether, an ethylene dimethyl fumarate copolymer containing 18% of dimethyl furmarate, an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer containing 35% of vinyl alcohol, and a copolymer of ethylene and methyl acrylate containing 15% of methyl acrylate shows the same type of improvements in stress crack-resistance and processability as shown in the preceding tables.

In Table V a comparison of stiffness and stress crack resistance is given for a blend of high density polyethylene, a density of 0.96 g./cc. and a melt index of 0.8 dg./min. with an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer having an ethylene to vinyl acetate mole ratio of 21, a melt index of 0.8 dg./min. and a melting point of about 110 C., and two commercially available high density polyethylenes.

TABLE V Density, Melt Stifl- Stress Crack Resin g./cc. Index 1 ness, Resistance p.s.i. F50, 1113.

10% Ethylene/Vinyl Ace- 0. 86 105, 000 17 tate Copolymer, 90% Polyethylene Polyethylene 95 0.31 93, 000 5 Polyethylene (used blend) .96 0. 8 110,000 5 resistance is given for blends of low density polyethylene and an ethylene methacrylic acid copolymer having an ethylene to methacrylic acid mole ratio of 16, a melt index of 150 dg./min. and also a blend of the same polyethylene with an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer having an ethylene to vinyl acetate ratio of 7 and a melt index of 12.

TABLE VI I Melt In- Density Stress Crack Composition dex 1 in in g./cc. Resistance dgJmin.

5% ethylene methaerylic acid copolymer, 95% polyethylene. 0.3 0.918 168 168 10% ethylene methacrylic acid copolymer 0. 4 0. 919 168 168 10% ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, polyethylene. 0.3 0. 920 168 168 Polyethylene (used in blend). 0. 3 O. 917 2 19 1 ASTM-D-l238-57-T. ASlM-D-1693 modified in that I-Iostapal was used instead of Igepal.

The experimental results illustrated in the tables are characteristic of the nature of the improvement obtained by the compositions of the present invention. Polyolefin compositions prepared from such polyolefins as polybutene, and other copolymers of ethylene and monoolefin, have been found to exhibit substantially the same improvement in stress crack resistance and processability when combined with copolymer additives of the type described above, in the concentrations described above. Similarly, the specific nature of the polar group does not affeet the ability of the copolymer to improve the stress crack resistance and processability of the polyolefin. The invention is, therefore, not to be construed as being limited to the experimental data presented in the tables.

The compositions prepared by the process of the present invention are useful in the molding of solid shapes, in the extrusion of film, fibers, tubing and pipe, but are of particular utility in the coating of wires and cables. Standard polyolefin fabrication methods can be suitably employed with the compositions of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A composition comprising a homogeneous blend of a polyolefin resin containing more than 50% ethylene and from 1 to 15% by weight of the polyolefin resin of a solid polymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate, said polymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate having a melt index of about 12 decigrams per minute and a mole ratio of ethylene to vinyl acetate of about 7 to 1.

2. The composition of claim 1 in which the polyolefin resin is high density polyethylene.

3. The composition of claim 1 in which the polyolefin resin is low density polyethylene.

4. The composition as set forth in claim 1 containing a carbon black additive.

5. The composition set forth in claim 1 containing an antioxidant additive.

6. The composition set forth in claim 1 in film form.

7. The composition set forth in claim 1 in funicular form.

8. The composition set forth in claim 1 in the form of a coating on wire.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,953,541 9/1960 Pecha et al. 260897 X 3,182,101 5/1965 Rees.

FOREIGN PATENTS 582,093 11/1946 Great Britain.

MORRIS LIEBMAN, Primary Examiner.

I. H. DERRINGTON, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 260-897 

